ur* 


COOPERATION 
IN  CUBA 


ISSUED  BY 

The  Committee  on  Cuba  Survey 
OF  THE 

Committee  on  Cooperation 
in  Latin  America 

25  Madison  Avenue 
New  York  City 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/cooperationincubOOcomi 


Cooperation  in  Cuba 


The  Committee  Meeting 

The  Committee  of  Conference  in 
Cuba  held  its  third  annual  session  in 
Havana,  x\pril  2-3,  1918.  The  Commit- 
tee was  organized  by  the  Regional  Con- 
ference immediately  following  the  Pan- 
ama Congress  of  February,  1916. 

Two  of  the  denominations  supporting 
missions  in  Cuba  do  not  officially  co- 
operate but  the  head  of  one  of  the  mis- 
sions accepts  co-opted  membership,  it 
being  understood  that  he  does  not  thus 
misrepresent  or  commit  against  its  judg- 
ment his  Board  or  his  denomination 
which  decline  officially  to  cooperate. 

Merger  of  Missions 

It  will  doubtless  be  agreed  that  the 
most  noteworthy  recent  event  in  Cuban 
missionary  history  is  the  merger  of  the 
three  missions  supported  heretofore  by 
the  Disciples,  Presbyterian  U.  S.  and 
Presbyterian  U.  S.  A.  There  remain 
some  details  of  administration  to  be  ad- 
justed. It  is  even  possible  that  the 
merger  will  not  be  as  complete  as  was 
for  a time  anticipated,  but  whatever  may 
be  decisions  as  to  the  avenue  of  sup- 
port the  workers  formerly  organized  in 
separate  missions  will  henceforth  oper- 
ate as  one  force. 


Executive  Secretary 

All  the  members  of  the  Committee 
were  deeply  impressed  with  the  value 
of  the  work  done  during  the  past  year 
by  the  Rev.  Sylvester  Jones^  the  Exec- 
utive Secretary.  A year  ago,  at  the 
urgent  request  of  the  Committee,  his 
Board,  that  of  the  Friends,  allocated 
him  for  this  general  service,  with  fine 
Christian  liberality,  continuing  and  en- 
larging his  salary.  He  has  during  the 
year  carried  some  responsibility  as  the 
head  of  the  Friends’  organization  on  the 
island  but  has  changed  his  residence 
to  Havana  and  devoted  himself  largely 
to  the  cooperative  movement.  During 
this  period  he  has  informed  himself  of 
the  work  throughout  the  island,  has 
visited  the  annual  meetings  of  the  vari- 
ous missions,  and  has  started  several 
cooperative  enterprises  of  distinct 
value.  A literature  depository  has  been 
established  in  Havana  and  is  in  the 
charge  of  the  Executive  Secretary.  Op- 
portunities for  display  are  not  those 
finally  to  be  desired,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  action  taken  at  the  meeting  in  April 
will  enable  the  Committee  to  establish 
a creditable  salesroom  in  a convenient 
center  in  Havana  and  keep  an  agent 
employed  for  sales,  and  for  correspond- 
ence with  missions  and  all  others  inter- 
ested in  evangelical  ideals  and  work. 


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Schools  and  Training  of  Leaders 

Never  were  the  missions  more  deeply 
and  universally  impressed  with  the  need 
of  education.  All  share  in  the  general 
conviction  that  each  church  in  a recog- 
nized center  of  population  should  have 
associated  with  it  a good  school.  The 
public  facilities  of  education  in  Cuba 
are  seriously  inedequate,  in  quantity 
especially,  and  at  many  points  also  in 
quality.  It  cannot  be  said  that  the  mis- 
sions have  adopted  an  island-wide  edu- 
cational policy,  but  the  impetus  being 
given  the  mission  school  work  amounts 
to  a general  movement. 

Besides  the  parish  schools  several 
educational  centers  are  being  magnified, 
including  the  Methodist  College  in  the 
suburbs  of  Havana  which  enjoys  the 
best  plant  on  the  Island,  the  flourish- 
ing institution  at  Cardenas  supported 
by  the  Presbyterians  U.  S.  which  has 
the  largest  enrollment  of  any  mission 
school  on  the  Island,  the  central  school 
of  the  Friends  at  Holguin  which  has 
been  recently  incorporated  with  the  pub- 
lic Institute,  and  the  boarding  school 
maintained  by  the  Northern  Baptists 
at  El  Cristo.  Several  other  important 
education  centers  are  also  developing. 

The  question  of  ministerial  training 
was  one  of  the  first  considered  by  the 
cooperative  force.  It  was  hoped  by 
many  that  a union  theological  seminary 
might  result  from  protracted  study  of 


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this  problem.  The  peculiar  geograph- 
ical formation  of  the  island,  the  isola- 
ion  of  one  part  from  another,  the  diffi- 
culties of  travel,  joined  with  other  seri- 
ous obstacles,  have  hindered  carrying 
out  that  policy,  and  have  convinced 
many  of  the  workers  that  a union  train- 
ing school  for  Cuba  is  not  feasible. 
The  cooperative  forces  will  doubtless 
soon  be  training  leaders  at  two  or  more 
points  for  increasingly  efficient  service: 
The  results  of  several  years’  effort  by 
the  Baptists  at  El  Cristo  are  already 
showing  gratifying  results  in  a resource- 
ful and  increasingly  numerous  native 
ministry  for  the  churches  of  that  mis-* 
sion. 

There  was  discussion  at  the  Commit- 
tee meeting  of  a plan  to  establish  a non- 
denominational  but  definitely  Christian 
institution  near  Havana,  designed  to 
serve  all  the  missions  but  operated  un- 
der an  independent  board  of  trustees. 
Since  the  meeting  in  Havana  in  April 
there  has  been  a conference  of  leaders 
in  New  York  in  pursuance  of  this  plan. 
Further  meetings  are  scheduled  when 
it  is  hoped  the  proposal  will  take  defi- 
nite form. 

Field  Studies 

Since  the  first  meeting  of  the  Com- 
mittee field  studies  have  been  conducted 
in  Cuba  with  a view  to  assembling  the 
outstanding  religious,  social  and  eco- 
nomic facts  which  might  guide  in  the 


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development  of  further  mission  policy. 
This  movement  was  supported  through 
the  interest  of  friends  in  the  United 
States.  A field  agent  visited  the  Island, 
collected  a large  fund  of  information, 
and  the  results  have  been  laid  before 
the  Committee.  It  is  believed  that  no 
service  will  be  rendered  the  cause  by  the 
official  publication  of  the  results  in  this 
survey,  but  the  studies  have  had  a guid- 
ing influence  in  the  development  of  co- 
operative plans. 

Evangelism  and  Social  Service 

The  proposal  for  an  island-wide  evan- 
gelistic campaign  was  renewed  at  the 
meeting  in  April  and  the  plan  assumed 
more  definite  form.  This  plan  would 
have  been  carried  out  at  least  limitedly 
if  the  attempted  revolution  of  the  spring 
and  summer  of  1917  had  not  interfered. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  plan  can  be  car- 
ried out  during  the  coming  fall  or  win- 
ter when  the  cooperation  of  a strong 
evangelistic  leader  can  be  secured  from 
some  neighboring  Latin  mission  field. 
This  plan  was  proposed  as  the  first  step 
towards  the  interchange  of  workers  for 
temporary  service  between  Latin-Amer- 
ican  fields. 

For  some  tinxe  there  has  been  consid- 
eration of  lectureships  in  Cuba  when 
an  eminent  evangelical  speaker  might 
be  introduced  to  thoughtful  audiences 
in  various  parts  of  the  island  for  the 
interpretation  of  evangelical  ideals  and 


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their  implications  in  the  social  order. 
It  is  considered  feasible  to  seek  the 
services  of  evangelical  leaders  from  the 
United  States  even  though  they  can- 
not speak  the  Spanish  language.  Both 
in  the  United  States  and  in  South  and 
Central  America  there  are  emerging 
leaders  familiar  with  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage who  might  also  contribute  to 
such  a course. 

Interest  was  expressed  in  a temper- 
ance and  anti-gambling  campaign  and 
plans  were  laid  for  concentrating  the 
efforts  of  the  evangelical  churches  on 
such  a movement  at  an  early  date. 

Periodical  Publication 

Naturally  the  attention  of  the  work- 
ers has  been  turned  to  the  need  of  a 
joint  evangelical  periodical.  The  re- 
markable success  of  such  a movement 
in  Porto  Rico  has  been  a guide  to  the 
thoughts  of  workers  not  alone  in  Cuba 
but  elsewhere  in  Latin  America.  In 
Porto  Rico  eight  denominations  unite 
in  supporting  the  superior  publication, 
*‘Porto  Rico  Evangelico/’  whose  circu- 
lation is  the  largest  of  any  periodical 
on  the  Island  and  whose  powerful  in- 
fluence was  indicated  by  the  successful 
prohibition  campaign  which  this  peri- 
odical led. 

Provision  has  not  yet  been  made  in 
Cuba  for  a joint  publication  but  the 
plans  have  so  far  progressed  that  only 
the  lack  of  funds  holds  back  the  enter- 


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prise.  In  the  meantime  the  Methodists 
and  Baptists  are  issuing  denominational 
organs. 

Sunday  School  Cooperation 

The  Executive  Secretary  of  the  Cuba 
Conference  Committee  is  also  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Cuba  National  Sunday 
School  Association.  This  Association 
furnishes  the  medium  for  the  most  ex- 
tensive cooperative  effect  wihch  has  yet 
been  realized.  The  Conference  Com- 
mittee expressed  its  desire  that  its  Exec- 
utive Secretary  should  devote  a portion 
of  his  time  to  executive  work  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Sunday  School  Associa- 
tion and  requested  the  Cuba  Associa- 
tion to  join  in  asking  their  International 
Sunday  School  Association  in  the  United 
States  to  furnish  a portion  of  the  salary 
so  that  the  executive  office  jointly  sup- 
ported might  jointly  serve  these  causes. 

Cuba’s  Missionary  Claims 

Representations  were  also  made  to 
the  supporting  Boards  in  the  hope  that 
a period  might  be  designated  for  a 
Cuba  campaign  among  the  churches  in 
the  United  States.  It  is  hoped  that  in 
preparation  for  such  a campaign  bud- 
gets of  advance  may  be  formally 
adopted,  special  literature  prepared, 
mission  study  classes  supplied  with  a 
new  text-book  on  Cuba,  and  specially 
equipped  speakers  be  itinerated  among 
the  churches.  Cuba  is  important  enough 


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to  call  for  such  a concerted  appeal. 
The  evangelieal  forces  in  the  United 
States  should  be  made  to  realize  what 
a unique  and  weighty  responsibility 
they  carry  for  the  evangelization  of 
Cuba. 

The  workers  in  Cuba  are  profoundly 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  their 
held  of  missionary  work.  Unique  op- 
portunities to  inhuence  Latin  America 
appear  in  Cuba.  The  ground  has  been 
covered  by  missionary  organizations  as 
have  few  mission  helds,  and  this  pre- 
Bminary  work  having  been  done  the 
demand  for  intensiheation  and  larger 
efficiency  in  program  is  made  the  more 
manifest.  Here  are  tests  of  missionary 
statesmanship  which  none  can  afford  to 
neglect.  Cuban-American  relations  are 
growing  more  close  every  year^  and 
American  civilization  falls  far  short  of 
its  responsibility  when  it  fails  to  pre- 
sent evangelical  ideals  at  their  best  and 
strongest  to  a people  whose  civilization 
is  consciously  and  unconsciously  being 
molded  by  American  relationships. 


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Program  of  Work  Adopted  by  the 
Committee  of  Conference  in  Cuba 
at  the  Meeting  Held  in  Havana 
April  2 and  3,  1918. 


Testaments  for  Soldiers 

Resolved,  that  an  effort  be  made  to  pre- 
sent a New  Testament  to  every  Cuban  sol- 
dier and  sailor  who  desires  one,  and  we 
refer  this  resolution  for  execution  to  the 
new  Committee  on  Evangelism  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  Executive  Secretary. 

Temperance  Campaign 

Resolved,  that  we  approve  of  a campaign 
in  favor  of  temperance  and  anti-gambling, 
and  pledge  ourselves  to  help  the  churches 
in  any  way  possible  in  concerted  efforts  for 
the  diminishing  of  vice  and  temptations  to 
vice,  and  the  Executive  Secretary  is  asked 
to  inaugurate  measures  designed  to  carry 
out  this  proposal. 

Interdenominational  Paper 

Resolved,  that  this  committee  recognizes 
the  need  of  an  interdenominational  paper, 
and  that  the  matter  be  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  Executive  Committee  to  be  realized 
if  practicable  this  year,  or  if  not,  to  make 
preliminary  arrangements  for  its  realiza- 
tion next  year. 

Simultaneous  Campaign  in  States 

Resolved,  that  it  is  the  desire  of  this  com- 
mittee that  there  should  be  arranged  a 
simultaneous  campaign  in  the  United  States 
during  the  fall  of  1919,  with  the  object  of 
creating  an  interest  among  the  churches 


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and  others  there  in  helping  to  solve  the 
religious  and  moral  problems  in  Cuba. 

Evangelism 

Resolved,  that  it  is  the  mind  of  this  Com- 
mittee that  the  Christian  people  of  Cuba 
should  give  much  time,  thought  and  prayer 
for  a religious  revival  throughout  the  island. 
It  is  desirable  that  an  evangelistic  team  be 
secured  which  would  be  able  adequately  to 
manage  the  preparation  for,  and  conduct 
of  evangelistic  campaigns.  We  look  with 
favor  on  some  plan  of  reciprocal  exchange 
of  men  specially  fitted  for  such  work,  with 
other  fields  such  as  Porto  Rico  and  Mexico. 
Also  we  look  with  favor  on  such  union 
efiPorts  in  ministering  to  the  inmates  of  the 
hospitals  and  jails  as  now  practiced  in 
Matanzas.  We  recommend  that  this  kind 
of  service  be  extended  as  opportunity  of- 
fers. 

Collaboration  with  Nat.  S.  S.  Association 

Whereas,  the  Executive  Secretary  of  this 
Committee  has  been  giving,  without  com- 
pensation, a considerable  portion  of  his  time 
to  the  work  as  General  Secretary  of  the 
National  Sunday  School  Association  and, 
whereas,  some  indications  have  come  to  this 
Committee  that  the  International  Sunday 
School  Asociation  in  its  work  of  supporting 
the  General  Secretary,  Resolved,  that  if 
satisfactory  arrangements  can  be  made  as 
to  salary,  etc.,  this  Committee  vdll  be  glad 
to  cooperate  in  the  matter,  and  this  Com- 
mittee appoints  the  Rev.  D.  A.  Wilson  as 
its  agent  in  carrying  out  this  resolution. 

Summer  Institute 

Resolved,  that  this  Committee  heartily 
commends  the  idea  of  an  Interdenomina- 
tional Summer  Institute  for  workers  de- 
siring to  cooperate  in  that  way  and  the 
Executive  Committee  through  the  Executive 


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Secretary  is  authorized  to  give  such  help 
as  may  be  desired  and  possible. 

Training  for  Ministers 

Resolved,  that  the  plan  suggested  last 
year  to  associate  the  proposed  Union  Train- 
ing School  for  ministers  with  one  of  the 
existing  schools  be  reaffirmed,  and  that  Rev. 
S.  G.  Inman,  Rev.  A.  B.  Howell,  Rev.  Syl- 
vester Jones  and  Rev.  R.  L.  Wharton  be 
appointed  a committee  to  caU  a conference 
of  the  agencies  concerned  and  otherwise  in- 
vestigate the  situation  with  a view  to  pro- 
posing a practicable  plan  for  cooperation 
in  ministerial  training. 

Christmas  Offering 

Resolved,  that  the  Executive  Committee 
be  authorized  to  invite  all  the  churches  to 
contribute  next  Christmas  to  some  un- 
selfish purpose,  preferably  one  looking  to 
the  relief  of  destitution  in  some  foreign 
land,  caused  by  the  world  war,  and  that  the 
Executive  Committee  be  asked  to  choose 
such  an  object  in  the  light  of  events  as  they 
appear  next  fall. 

Collaboration  with  Bible  Society 

Resolved,  that  the  request  to  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  be  renewed  that  their 
agency  be  located  with  the  headquarters  of 
the  Committee  of  Conference  in  Cuba,  and 
that  the  Executive  Secretary  of  this  Com- 
mittee be  appointed  their  agent  for  the  Isl- 
and of  Cuba.  The  Rev.  R.  L.  Wharton  is 
designated  to  present  this  request  to  the 
Bible  Society. 

Campaign  for  Joint  Institutions 

Whereas,  the  Secretary  of  the  Committee 
on  Cooperation  in  Latin  America  has  re- 
quested an  expression  of  opinion  as  to 
Cuba’s  share  in  any  possible  campaign  for 
joint  institutions  in  Latin  America,  Re- 


13 


solved,  that  a special  committee,  consist- 
ing of  Bishop  H.  R.  Hulse,  Rev.  E.  A. 
Od^ell  and  Rev.  Sylvester  Jones,  confer  with 
the  representatives  of  all  the  Missions  work- 
ing in  the  Island  and  after  such  confer- 
ence, make  such  recommendations  to  the 
Committee  on  Cooperation  as  seem  desir- 
able 

Union  Depository 

Resolved,  that  authority  be  given  the 
Executive  Committee  to  organize  a commit- 
tee for  the  issuance  of  stock  in  the  Union 
Depository,  of  amount  sufficient  to  cover 
the  investment. 


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